Beauty Never Dies by Cameron Jace Read Free Book Online Page A

I am on the floor. He flashes a cross at me as I am trying to reach for Bianca.
    “I am not a damn Vampire!” I yell, looking up at the smoke covering Venice.
    “A vamwaht?” the man estranges.
    “Don’t you dare repeat the foul words she utters, Constantine,” one of the authorities warns him. “You’d be reciting a devil’s spell, and God forbid what should happen to those who lost their way in the dark alleys of blasphemy.”
    I want to scream and pull my hair, not knowing which bothers me more, the clichéd speech of the devil or the fact that the other man’s name is Constantine.
    “And what about him?” Constantine asks his assistant about Loki. “Look at the way he is dressed. He must be a devil worshiper too. A malevolent wizard.”
    “But of course, I am,” Loki says as he punches him in his jaw. The man falls down silently. Wow. One hit in the jaw. “ Hocus Pocus Zim Zalabim ,” Loki can’t help it, talking to the unconscious man lying on the floor. “That’s what wizards in jeans do to guys who call themselves Constantine.”
    As I unchain Bianca, Loki gets into a fiercer fight with the other man. He bangs the man’s head against the carriage before the man falls semi-conscious to the floor. “You have just been Avada Kadavarad , Monsieur. I wish I brought a magic wand with me to this ignorance fest.”
    “Monsieur is French, you idiot.” I don’t know why I feel the need to make fun of him. I think his attitude has gotten to me. Maybe I am scared to fail in my mission.
    “Sorry,” Loki bowed down to the man in the middle of the smoke. “I don’t speak Italian, but I can speak if you like. Aww.” He kicks the man to sleep one more time and turns back to me. “We have to go back now, princess, or will die in this awfully ignorant dream.”
    “No. We have to get her on that boat to Murano first.” I say and pull up Bianca into the carriage. It’s amazing how she trusts me and doesn’t think we’re going to burn her or kill her. “Don’t be afraid. We will help you.” I tell her in Italian.
    “Italian much?” Loki wonders, helping her.
    “I speak a lot of languages,” I say and hand him a whip. He retunes a suspicious look. “Here?” I can’t let him waist our time commenting silly comments. “Don’t start. You can ride this carriage to the boat, right?”
    “Of course, my princess,” He smiles and grabs it. “My apologies for the misunderstanding, Bianca,” He bows his head with respect. I don’t know if he is mocking us. “Anything to get us out this damn dream.”
    I close the door of the carriage, listening to Loki hitting some other guys then ride up the Carriage. As he whips the horses forward, he shouts, “Mama Mia!”
    Even Bianca laughs.
    Bianca thanks me, squeezing my hand tightly. “If you didn’t save me, I would have felt the rage eventually and lost control of my power, and that’s not good.”
    “I know,” I nod, noticing that she is pregnant. That is exactly what I am here for. I think my mission will succeed. “We will send you to Murano. This where you will have the baby.”
    “Thank you.” She keeps repeating and wanting to kiss my hand. I guess it’s an old Italian gesture of appreciation. I try not to cry as I can’t tell her what’s going to happen to her after she brings the baby to the world.
    We arrive at the boat, and she gets on it while Loki keeps urging me that it’s about time to start the ritual to get out of the dream. He says that if we stay too long in the dream, we could stay lost here forever. I don’t tell him that I know about that since this is exactly what happened  to Cinderella.
    “Ok,” I say. “Just one more thing,” I turn back to Bianca as she embarks on the boat. “Have you chosen a name for your daughter?”
    A broad and full smile arrest her features as she nods. “Cinder.” She says, raising her ash smeared five-finger hands in the air, then she points at the cinder covering her face in a proud